WAYCROFT-WOODLAWN NEIGHBORHOOD
CONSERVATION PLAN
May 2012
1
2013 WAYCROFT-WOODLAWN NEIGHBORHOOD CONSERVATION PLAN
Revised March 2013
Contents
INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................................... 4
A Brief History of Waycroft-Woodlawn .................................................................................... 4
General Neighborhood Characteristics ..................................................................................... 5
Evolution of the WWCA’s Neighborhood Conservation Plan ............................................ 5
2012 Survey Process1998 .............................................................................................................. 5
PARKING AND TRAFFIC ....................................................................................................................... 6
WOODLAWN PARK ................................................................................................................................ 8
PUBLIC SAFETY AND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS .............................................................. 9
SIDEWALKS AND PEDESTRIAN SAFETY .................................................................................... 10
STREET LIGHTING............................................................................................................................... 13
RECOMMENDATIONS ........................................................................................................................ 15
CONCLUSION ......................................................................................................................................... 16
APPENDICES .......................................................................................................................................... 17
Maps ..................................................................................................................................................... 17
Arlington County ........................................................................................................................ 17
WWCA ............................................................................................................................................. 18
Photos .................................................................................................................................................. 19
WWCA Signage ............................................................................................................................ 19
Woodlawn Park ........................................................................................................................... 20
Storm Photos ................................................................................................................................ 23
Sample Survey .................................................................................................................................. 24
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May 28, 2013
The Waycroft-Woodlawn Civic Association (“WWCA”) is pleased to submit to
the Neighborhood Conservation Advisory Committee (“NCAC”) its updated
Neighborhood Conservation Plan. We appreciate the opportunity to work with the
NCAC and the Arlington County Board to bring about the many needed
improvements the Plan details.
The WWCA has submitted a Letter of Commitment to the NCAC. In 2012, we
surveyed residents of the WWCA to determine the neighborhood’s assets, needs,
and objectives. The appendices to this document include a copy of that survey.
Based in part on the results of that survey, we also have inventoried the
neighborhood’s existing condition. The WWCA approved this Plan [date to be
supplied] [Plan to be voted on at an upcoming General Meeting].
Many hours of voluntary, uncompensated work have been devoted to
developing this updated Plan. Numerous residents of the WWCA participated in
various stages of the process. For pulling together all the moving parts into this
finished product, the WWCA particularly thanks two members of its Executive
Board, Tracie Morris, Vice President, and Evilio Rubiella, Delegate.
Should you wish to discuss our updated Plan, please contact Tracie Morris at
(703) [to be supplied], or Michael Grace at (703) 522-4633.
May 28, 2013
Michael J. Grace
President, WWCA
2012-2013
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INTRODUCTION
A Brief History of Waycroft-Woodlawn
For sixty years after Captain John Smith sailed up the Potomac in 1608, becoming the
first European to set foot in Arlington, the Arlington area remained Indian Territory with
only occasional white hunters and trappers visiting the area. By the latter part of the
seventeenth century, grants began to be issued for land in the area that is now Arlington.
Waycroft-Woodlawn was included in a 1,246- acre grant to John Colville in 1739.
Following the Revolution, Arlington remained sparsely settled and in 1800 had a
population of only 978, including 297 slaves. Like the County, the area that was to
become Waycroft-Woodlawn consisted of farms, scattered houses, and woods. In the
1850s, two Waycroft-Woodlawn residents, William Marcey and John Brown, had a
dispute over a parcel of land at the intersection of Glebe and Brown's Bend roads. To
resolve the matter, they both gave up their claims and the land was donated for a church
site. Subsequently, Mt. Olivet Methodist Church was built there in the years 1855-1860
(The present church structure built in 1948 is the fourth building on the same site.) The
Civil War saw Union troops marching up and down Glebe Road to and from several of
the twenty-two forts of the Arlington Line, part of the defenses built around Washington.
Mt. Olivet Church served as a hospital for wounded Union soldiers, and later the Church
was a military commissary and stable.
Following the Civil War, a Union officer, Major R. S. Lacey of Ohio bought a farm in the
southern part of the Waycroft-Woodlawn area and built a house, Broadview. This house
stands today, still a private home, at 14th and Evergreen Streets. In the last years of the
nineteenth century and the early years of the twentieth, the construction of first trolley
lines and then railroads brought growth to Arlington. The Lacey Station (near the present
intersection of Glebe Road and Fairfax Drive) was the closest stop to WaycroftWoodlawn.
The Brumback firm built Woodlawn Village in the years 1934-1939. In the area named
Waycroft, lots were sold and individual houses built rather than the entire development
being built by one builder as was the case in Woodlawn Village. Streets and sidewalks
were laid out; sewer, telephone, and power lines installed; the Waycroft-Woodlawn Civic
Association (WWCA) was formed in the fall of 1937; and the Woodlawn Elementary
School was built and opened in 1940. Virginia Hospital Center-Arlington was built
during World War II with the first patients admitted on March 15, 1944.
In the years following World War II, the remaining vacant lots in Waycroft- Woodlawn
were built up with individual dwellings. In the late 1950s, I-66 was planned through
Arlington and its path cut through the southeast corner of Waycroft-Woodlawn. Longdelayed and controversial, the construction was completed in 1982. A new consolidated
elementary school, the Glebe Elementary School, was built in 1970-1971 to replace
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several neighborhood schools, and the Woodlawn Elementary School closed. The old
Woodlawn building housed the County's alternative high school in from 1971 to 1978
and then was transformed into the Hospice of Northern Virginia (now known as Capital
Hospice). By 1970, a new generation of homeowners had moved into the area, and the
Waycroft-Woodlawn Civic Association (WWCA), which had become moribund during
the 1950s, reemerged as a potent force in the area.
As younger families continue to move to the neighborhood, they bring with them the next
generation of children who will grow up here. The convenient location, forested and
flowered landscape, Woodlawn Park, and the friendly, relaxed, neighborly atmosphere of
Waycroft-Woodlawn attract these families. The civic pride and spirit that typified the
beginning of the WWCA neighborhood over seventy years remains alive and active
today.
General Neighborhood Characteristics
The WWCA consists of approximately 600 single-family and 28-multifamily homes
located northwest of the commercial center of Ballston in a beautiful, wooded area of
northern Arlington County. Its eastern and western boundaries are Glebe Road and
George Mason Drive/Frederick Street, and I-66 and 17th Street to the north and south.
Evolution of the WWCA’s Neighborhood Conservation Plan
The WWCA published its first “Neighborhood Conservation (NC) Plan” in February
1984 and revised in October 1998. Since the implementation of those plans, many
improvements have been made throughout our community. However, continued growth
throughout Arlington and northern Virginia has led to the need to update the NC plan yet
again. During the past 15 years, there continues to be an increased focus on issues such as
safety, traffic, and overall neighborhood quality of life.
2012 Survey Process1998
At a general WWCA meeting in 2012, interested residents met to discuss what the
WWCA residents consider the positive and negative aspects of our neighborhood. These
discussions—along with the 1998 NC Plan and survey—formed the basis for the survey
used to support this NC plan update. The 2012 survey was developed and distributed to
all residents of the WWCA. Survey results were tabulated and are referenced throughout
this plan.
The survey results indicate a strong desire by residents to maintain the key characteristics
that make our neighborhood desirable. Some of frequently cited characteristics include
the abundance of trees and green space, pedestrian- and bicycle-friendly sidewalks and
paths, the abundance of wildlife, low crime rate, bucolic park, and convenience to shops,
schools, and metro. Intangible attributes include a quiet, friendly atmosphere and a
variety of architectural house styles with a sense of quality and scale.
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The surveys that are the basis for the 2013 NC Plan were hand-delivered to all WWCA
residences. WWCA leadership announced on both the neighborhood listserv and at
regularly-scheduled neighborhood WWCA meetings that the survey was being
distributed. Frequent reminders to submit survey responses were made on the listserv, at
general meetings and in the WWCA newsletter.
Residents completed and submitted 251 surveys, representing a 43 percent participation
rate. This rate is roughly equivalent to the participation rate in the WWCA). Completed
surveys were received from residents on every street within the WWCA boundaries,
including Westwind townhomes, and along the major boundary streets: Glebe Road and
George Mason Drive.
89 percent of respondents own and occupy their homes. 6 percent of respondents are
renting homes in WWCA, and one respondent owns a home in WWCA, but maintains a
primary residence outside the neighborhood. Our neighborhood enjoys a low turnover
rate, with residents reporting that they’ve lived in the WWCA for an average of 17 years.
According to survey responses, 663 people reside in the 251 responding households. 72
percent are adults, while 28 percent are children. Residents range widely in age, with our
largest group (32 percent) falling in the 35-54 age range. 13 percent of residents are
under the age of 5.
<5
84
13%
5-12
71
11%
13-17
31
5%
18-24
39
6%
25-34
67
10%
35-54
210
32%
55-64
79
12%
65-74
65
10%
>74
17
3%
82 percent of the children in our neighborhood attend public schools, while 18 percent
attend private schools. The neighborhood is served by Glebe and McKinley Elementary,
Swanson Middle, H-B Woodlawn and Washington & Lee High schools.
To summarize the specific recommendations that follow: our community seeks to
preserve its quiet residential side streets and park areas, minimize the impact from nearby
commercial enterprises, minimize the subdivision of property/infill development, and
ensure the maintenance of neighborhood streets and sidewalks for the safety of all
residents.
PARKING AND TRAFFIC
Survey results indicate that most WWCA residents own one or more cars. 60 percent of
respondents noted that they commute to work by car, and nearly 100 percent of
respondents listed a car as their primary evacuation method, in the event of an
emergency. Most of the homes in WWCA have a private driveway that accommodates at
least one car.
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The following are concerns expressed in the survey:
In addition to residents’ cars, the neighborhood draws a large volume of vehicles visiting
from outside the community: people working at or visiting the Virginia Hospital CenterArlington, the Capital Hospice, Mt. Olivet Church, or businesses located in and around
the Ballston-area as well as out-of-area commuters who park and walk to the Ballston
metro station. Woodlawn Park also brings visitors from outside the community for
recreation, and offers no off-street parking. Visitors who frequent these facilities park on
residential streets creating parking concerns for the neighborhood.
Home development and renovation also draws a constant influx of construction vehicles,
debris receptacles, vans, trucks and other equipment, taking up additional space on
residential streets. County service vehicles take up parking space throughout the
neighborhood, as do cable, telephone, cleaning, and landscape maintenance vehicles.
Survey results revealed that for a majority of households, parking isn’t a major concern,
especially for residents who live on streets that have resident-only parking restrictions.
Streets that are currently zoned for resident-only parking during the hours of 8:00am and
5:00pm report the fewest parking complaints. Residents in these areas suggest that the
current restrictions are working, and many of them support expansion of the restriction
hours, adding weekend restrictions, and increasing enforcement. A majority of residents
also support expansion of the permit-only in problem areas identified below.
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Residents living near Virginia Hospital Center-Arlington reported major parking
concerns. Hospital workers and patients often park in the neighborhood, rather
than using paid parking provided by the hospital. A few residents wrote about
repeated problems with parked cars blocking their driveways. Suggested
solutions include:
o Reduce the cost of parking in the garage for workers and/or patients to
encourage people to use those lots;
o Expand resident-only permit parking near the hospital,
o Increased parking enforcement where zoning restrictions are already in
place.
The Capital Hospice is another problem area reported by nearby residents. The
Hospice has two parking lots, one on 15th & Abingdon streets, and one on 15th &
Buchanan streets. The volume of vehicles exceeds these lots’ capacity nearly
every day. Cars, trucks, ambulances, and delivery vehicles overflow into the
residential streets. Residents recommend zoned-parking for streets near the
hospice.
Woodlawn Park does not have a parking lot. Park visitors park on the residential
streets near the park entrances. Residents in the vicinity of the Hospice and
Woodlawn Park recommend zoned-parking for streets adjacent to the park.
Mount Olivet, located at 16th Street and North Glebe Road was also reported as a
problem area by nearby residents. This is especially true on Sunday mornings and
daily during childcare drop-off and pick-up times. Although the church owns a
large lot across 16th street, residents reported that many church visitors choose to
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park on nearby residential streets rather than using the lot. Several residents
reported that their driveways have been blocked by visitors to the childcare
facility located at Mount Olivet. Residents request resident-only parking
restrictions during business hours and on weekends.
Residents on 11th Street reported an overflow problem from Westwind
Townhouses. Westwind has resident-only parking restrictions with limited visitor
parking. Several blocks on 11th Street, near George Mason Drive do not have
parking restrictions and have become “overflow” parking for Westwind residents
and visitors. 11th Street residents recommend resident-only restrictions be
expanded to their blocks to alleviate the problem.
Several residents reported parking problems near homes that are rented to groups
of unrelated adults, creating a situation where there are many more cars than
parking available at those homes. Residents recommend increased enforcement
of existing restrictions and enhanced parking restrictions to alleviate the problem.
Several residents reported parking problems caused by oversized construction and
delivery vehicles, (trucks, cranes, tractors, and refuse bins) which are often parked
on residential streets for extended periods of time. Increased enforcement and
tighter restrictions regarding the size and types of vehicles allowed on our
residential streets are recommended.
Although there have been some traffic-calming and other street improvements in the
WWCA since our last plan, cut-through and speeding remains a concern for the residents.
As the WWCA is bordered by two arterial roads (Glebe and George Mason) and is
dissected by Washington Boulevard, many commuters use neighborhood streets to avoid
major intersections and traffic lights. Listed below the areas in the WWCA which
receive the most cut-through traffic:
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Buchanan between Washington Boulevard and North 16th Street
Edison between Washington Boulevard and North 16th Street
Abingdon between North 13th Street and North 16th Street
North 11th Street between George Mason Drive and Buchanan Street
Evergreen, Columbus & Buchanan Streets between 11th and Washington Blvd
Frederick Street between George Mason and Washington Boulevard
WOODLAWN PARK
Woodlawn Park is located entirely within the boundaries of the WW neighborhood, and
is no more than a five- to ten-minute walk from most of the homes in the community. A
stream, the uppermost reach of Lubber Run, runs through the park. Because of its small
size, limited facilities, and location in the heart of a residential area, it is a neighborhood
park used primarily by WWCA residents. Throughout the year, parents take their children
to the playground, dog owners walk their pets; families picnic; and walkers, joggers,
skaters, and cyclists use the paths that crisscross the park. The Woodlawn Elementary
School at one time occupied the north end of the park. The school’s play field is now part
of the park, while the building and remaining grounds comprise the Capital Hospice.
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The park's athletic facilities include a 40' x 40' single-hoop basketball court and an
athletic field at the north end of the park. The heavily used playground area includes
swings, climbing equipment, and a sandbox. Picnic tables are located just to the south of
the playground. The stream and adjacent shrubs form a natural barrier between the
playground/picnic area and the southwest section of the park. Because of its relative
isolation from the most active areas of the park, the southwest section provides a tranquil
setting for those who walk its gravel paths or sit at one of the two benches located there.
Nearly all survey respondents considered the park to be in good to excellent overall
condition; however, some problem areas were identified. A significant number of
respondents expressed dissatisfaction with the condition of the park's tables and benches,
the condition of the creek, the care of aging trees and the planting of new trees, and
removing invasive plants and shrubs. Approximately 85 percent of the respondents
consider the park to be safe.
Residents recommended changes including adding new uses, enhancing or augmenting
the existing infrastructure, and making minor landscaping improvements. Others
expressed concern about erosion on the east bank of the creek.
PUBLIC SAFETY AND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS
Residents expressed that Waycroft-Woodlawn was a very safe/safe area to reside and did
not consider crime as a major problem. 12 percent considered crime a problem and 31
percent answered “maybe a problem” and cited such problems as vandalism (5
respondents), car theft (2 respondents), and home burglary (2). Several respondents
cited transients and unlicensed home solicitors as a matter of public safety which has also
been reported in the WWCA list service email traffic. To help our neighborhood be
vigilant of car break-ins, potential home break-ins and burglary, 67 percent of
respondents (were in favor of establishing a neighborhood watch program. This matched
the response from the 1998 survey.
WWCA’s 1998 plan addressed neighborhood crime as a survey issue. At that time,
residents identified crimes against property, crimes against persons, and public
infractions (suspicious individuals, loiterers, excessive use of alcohol and drug use in
public areas, and panhandling) as the most pressing concerns. However, events since the
WWCA’s 1998 NC Plan have increased concern beyond crime to safety and emergency
preparedness.
Emergency Preparedness was a new survey topic in 2012. Our residents are cognizant of
this need due to our close proximity to the Pentagon, Washington, DC, other government
offices, and Virginia Hospital Center-Arlington. Our neighborhood also participates in
the Arlington County Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program.
Almost 90 percent of residents responding were not aware of any hazardous materials
stored in our neighborhood or hazardous conditions requiring remediation. 30 residents
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(of 240 responding) did note concerns with problems such as chalky/milky substances
appearing in Lubber Run which runs through Woodlawn Park. Residents desire to know
the cause of these types of discharges for safety as well as environmental issues.
Survey responses highlight the fact that emergency preparedness knowledge is not
widespread in the community. Most residents (up to 46 percent) expect to receive word
about an emergency by use of use radio, email or the internet as their primary means to
receive emergency information. County emergency text message alerts and county
emergency radio were cited by 44 percent as a means to acquire information. In the
event of an emergency, 28 percent of our respondents believe that Arlington has
sufficient resources and shelter to respond to a crisis, while 22 percent said they were not
adequate and the remaining respondents (50 percent) were unable to judge the adequacy.
More 76 percent of respondents believe that Arlington firefighting, ambulance EMT
units, police units, hospital emergency response, and emergency/911 call center services
are adequately staffed and equipped to manage a disaster. However, 92 percent were
unaware of the location of the nearest emergency shelter, although 73 percent felt there
should be a shelter within 1 mile of the neighborhood.. In addition 73 percent of our
residents plan to use a personal automobile as the means to evacuate in the event of an
emergency with 18 percent expecting the need to walk, 7 percent would bike and 2
percent would use public transportation to evacuate.
Community infrastructure and the resiliency of that infrastructure is an important element
of disaster response and the ability to shelter in place in the case of disaster (e.g.,
earthquakes, blizzards, and hurricanes). It should be noted that the survey was conducted
well before the June 2012 storm that left many without power. As such, it is surmised
that responses with regard to infrastructure reliability might have been significantly
different, had the survey been conducted after that major storm.
Based on the survey, the community believed that our infrastructure (electricity, gas,
water, flood control and communications) is generally reliable. Natural gas, flood
control, and water services were rated our most resilient utilizes/services (scoring 3-5 on
a 1-5 scale where 5 is “most reliable”) at 80 percent or higher, Electricity rated 3-5 level
scores at 78 percent on this same scale; however approximately 20 percent of our
respondents cited issues with lengthy outages or frequent equipment breakage (i.e.,
transformers) as being cause for concern. Communications (telephone, cellular,
television and internet) was rated 85 percent in the 3-5 range, although outages of internet
and cellular system disruptions due to overcapacity use during peak periods or
emergencies were cited.
SIDEWALKS AND PEDESTRIAN SAFETY
Over 85 of current respondents stated the sidewalks in front of their house were in good
condition. However, over 65 were concerned about traffic creating a safety hazard for
pedestrians and bicycles. This seeming contradiction highlights the current state of
sidewalks and pedestrian concerns in WWCA: though our sidewalk network is mostly
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complete, the increase of cut-through traffic and the heavy traffic on our surrounding
arterials keeps pedestrian safety a top concern.
Though a few critical sections of neighborhood sidewalk segments are not complete (as
detailed below), we have largely moved from a community focused on building out the
sidewalk network to one focused on ensuring safe pedestrian crossings. This is
particularly important as almost 40 percent of respondents reported walking as their
means of commuting, 35 percent use Metro, 17 percent bicycling, and 14 percent use
buses. Clearly, improving WWCA’s walkability and bicycling conditions are core needs.
An overwhelming 88 percent of respondents supported the County’s stated goal of having
sidewalks on at least one side of every street, with almost 40 percent supporting
sidewalks on both sides of the street. The WWCA has been guided by this principle for
many years and it is reassuring to see it being supported by the community at large.
Though many missing sidewalk connections have been recently completed through the
NC program, the survey highlighted some remaining concerns in particular:
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The continued lack of sidewalks on 15th Street between Buchanan and Edison
The lack of complete sidewalks on Edison between 15th and 16th Streets
Missing sidewalk on Evergreen at 11th Street and Washington Boulevard
The lack of sidewalks around the Lacey Tract (Note: it is the WWCA’s
understanding that the developer of the tract will add sufficient sidewalks around
the property.)
Nonetheless, there is a minority of residents in the community who feel there are enough
sidewalks and further building is unwarranted. Where resistance to new sidewalks exists
on blocks where there is not at least one sidewalk on one side of the street, it is unlikely
new sidewalks will be built: current County processes require resident approval of new
sidewalk projects. As a community, the WWCA will need to consider how it will weigh
the concerns of a minority of block residents relative to the larger community’s need and
desire for the greater connectivity and safety that sidewalks provide.
Concern was also expressed regarding the maintenance of existing sidewalks. Some
cited cracked and broken sections and cited the need to keep vegetation pruned along
sidewalk paths.
Given the high number of WWCA residents who walk to work or rely on walking to
reach services like Metro, the Hospital, or local shopping districts, it is no surprise that a
majority of respondents reported pedestrian concerns. There were concerns cited in
every portion of the neighborhood and these walkability concerns overlapped heavily
with traffic concerns.
The top “Top 3 Walkability Improvements” cited by respondents were: improved snow
removal (58 percent), more/better marked crosswalks (40 percent) and improved lighting
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(37 percent). 29 percent cited the need for better sidewalks and 15 percent cited
improved pedestrian safety in Woodlawn Park.
Specific concerns raised by multiple respondents included:
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Lack of pedestrian path across park at 15th Street
Cars rolling through stop signs throughout the neighborhood
Unsafe crossings at the intersections of Washington Boulevard at Glebe Road and
George Mason
Unsafe crossings of Washington Boulevard at all intersections, particularly at
Buchanan Street
Unsafe Glebe Road crossings at all intersections
Unsafe 14th Street between George Mason and Buchanan Streets
16th Street crossings and heavy traffic
o Unsafe crossings at Edison, Buchanan and Abingdon
o Unsafe Mt. Olivet pedestrian crossing just west of Glebe Road
o Concerns over speeding/non stopping cars
Safety concerns at the 17th Street and Abingdon/Culpeper intersection
The lack of a marked crossing at the 14th and Buchanan Street/Woodlawn Park
entrance
Unsafe Edison Street crossings at 14th, 15th, and 16th Streets and VHC-induced Uturns at 16th and Edison Street
Lack of consistent snow removal, particularly on trails, including back trail to
Glebe Elementary
To that end, residents have made the following suggestions to improve pedestrian safety
and the walkability of WWCA.
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Residents would like to continue to explore sidewalk projects with residents of
15th Street between Buchanan and Edison Streets and Edison between 15th and
16th Streets. (Note: recent attempts to complete the sidewalk system in these areas
have failed due to a lack of required resident support.)
Explore sidewalk projects with affected residents at either end of the Evergreen
on the block between 11th Street and Washington Boulevard.
Work with developer of Lacey Tract to ensure new sidewalks are built on North
Evergreen and 14th Street.
Explore possibilities to provide lighting for Woodlawn Park paths
Continue working with County staff to install paved path across Woodlawn Park
field at 15th Street.
Work with County to explore options for broken/cracked sidewalks.
Request pedestrian crosswalks to be further improved at the major crossways of
Washington Boulevard, George Mason Drive, and Glebe Road. Specifically,
continue to explore solutions for perennial problems at Buchanan Street crossing
of Washington Boulevard.
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Approach Mt. Olivet Church to explore possibilities to improve safety at the16th
Street crossing between parking lot and main church.
Approach Virginia Hospital Center regarding improved signage to prevent “lost”
traffic on 16th Street and hazardous driver behavior at 16th and Edison Streets.
Explore traffic-calming possibilities to reduce the volume and speeds of cutthrough traffic.
Request painted crossing of Buchanan Street at 14th Street main Woodlawn Park
entrance
Partner with Police to increase monitoring and ticketing activity at critical
pedestrian crossings.
Promote improved snow removal and work with County to plan for path clearing.
Promote residents doing a better job keeping pathways clear of shrubbery and
other plantings.
STREET LIGHTING
1998 Survey Findings
The 1999 survey highlighted a number of specific areas in need of improved street
lighting and urged residents to request lighting as needed, as well as to request the
trimming of vegetation around existing lights where this was a problem. Areas
specifically cited in the 1998 survey for street lights which did in fact receive new
lighting through the NC program include 15th Street between George Mason and
Buchanan and 16th Road between Edison and Buchanan Streets.
There was also a specific request in the 1998 survey to retain the “colonial” (square four
sided light box) poles to retain WW’s character. Since that time, the County migrated to
a newer “Carlyle” style lamp post and light box, which were installed in the above
projects and which appear to have been accepted into the neighborhood streetscape
without complaint.
Current Concerns
Insufficient street lighting was raised as a concern by about 30 percent of respondents, a
slightly higher percentage than the 25 percent of respondents citing this concern in 1998.
Over 50 percent of respondents supported the installation of new County-standard
decorative Carlyle-style lights. A handful of residents raised concerns about street lights
contributing to general light pollution issues. Many residents close to Virginia Hospital
Center complained about excessive light spillover from that facility.
A significant number of residents complained about inadequate lighting on/around North
Abingdon Street, especially the dark stairs leading up to Washington Boulevard at the
south end of Abington Street and the park entrances. This area was identified by
residents as a problem area in the 1998 survey as well. In 2009, residents of that area
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successfully petitioned for new lights. The County put a hold on new street lights for
several years, but this major lighting project is now set to commence in 2012. It will
place new LED Carlyle-style lights in the section of WW south of 16th Street and east of
the park, extending to Washington Boulevard in the south and Glebe Road on the west.
Included are new light poles close to the park entrances of Abingdon on 13th, 14th, and
15th Streets, as well as a new pole close to the Washington Boulevard stairway.
Areas identified in the survey that will not be addressed by the upcoming 2012 street
lighting project include:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Washington Boulevard bridge over I-66
17th Street North between Edison and Glebe Road
11th Street North, especially near path entrances
North Woodstock Street
16th Road North at Abingdon Streets
North Edison from Washington Boulevard to 16th Street North
The above locations are consistent with the unaddressed locations identified in the 1998
survey. The County process for new street lights on residential streets is for those
residents to identify the need and create a WWCA supported plan for new lights.
WWCA will support these efforts through the NC process in the interest of neighborhood
safety. The Washington Boulevard bridge lighting request will require VDOT
involvement.
Insufficient park lighting was raised repeatedly as a major concern, given that the paths at
13th and 14th Streets are heavily used pedestrian commuter routes. This was raised as a
significant safety concern. The park lighting request will need to be handled through the
Parks department, perhaps as part of a broader park improvement project.
WWCA will work with the County to ensure new street light projects help retain
neighborhood character and do not contribute to overall light pollution. The new LED
light implementations will be monitored carefully for these issues.
Residents who desire more lighting on their blocks should discuss the issue with
neighbors and approach WWCA to obtain guidance on the process to petition for new
lighting through the NC process.
The WWCA will shepherd the previously petitioned 16th Street light project through the
NC process as appropriate given other neighborhood priorities.
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RECOMMENDATIONS
Based on the results of the surveys, the WWCA makes the following recommendations:
Parking and Traffic
 Eliminate the 10 mile per hour tolerance before issuing tickets for speeding.
 Enforce posted speed limits.
 Establish a zero-tolerance policy for failure to yield to pedestrians.
 Implement “no-turn“ restrictions onto streets that have been identified as cutthrough streets irrespective of vehicle speed during rush hours.
 Add no parking restrictions within a reasonable number of feet of major
intersections to allow for ease of turning.
 Identify problem areas and work with affected residents to address the concerns
through the County's permit-parking process or other means as appropriate for
each situation
Woodlawn Park
 Improve drainage in park.
 Establish and publish a schedule for maintaining trees and shrubs.
 Establish and publish a schedule for removing invasive plants.
 Promptly respond to citizen requests to maintain trees and shrubs and remove
invasive plants on an ad-hoc basis.
 Install signage that the stream water in Woodlawn Park is unsafe to drink.
 Regularly test the water in the stream water in Woodlawn Park and publish the
results on the park bulletin board and provide the WWCA President a copy.
 Establish and publish a maintenance schedule for mulching.
 Establish and publish a schedule for replacing sand in sandbox.
 Pour concrete slabs for picnic tables.
 Establish and publish a schedule for reseeding.
Sidewalks and Pedestrian Safety
 Mount cameras at the Washington Boulevard /Buchanan Street crosswalk to
enforce pedestrian right-of-way.
 Repair sidewalks within one month of an issue being reported.
 Add a “No Right-Turn when Pedestrians are Present” at the exit of I-66 and Glebe
Road.
 Improve signage at Washington and Edison stating that Edison is a one-way street
between Washington Blvd and 13th Street.
 Improve snow removal on Washington Blvd sidewalks which cross I-66.
 Improve snow removal on stairs leading from Abingdon Street to Washington
Blvd.
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Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness
 Develop a website to which the WWCA can link to that would include FAQs
related to emergencies. Such as points of contact, local shelters, including petfriendly shelters, evacuation routes, etc.
Street Lighting
 Additional street lighting needed in all areas south of Washington Boulevard
 Additional lighting needed at stairs at Abingdon Boulevard and Washington Blvd.
Other
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More frequent street sweeping to keep storms drains clear.
Replace aging infrastructure, such as pipes, to improve drainage.
Improve bike path lighting.
Code enforcement officials to periodically survey the neighborhood to determine
what trees and shrubs should be removed or trimmed to mitigate blocking site
lines.
Enforce the number of non-related family members living in one household.
CONCLUSION
In 1984 and 1998 plans were published with the hope that they would help the
community avoid the widespread problem of deterioration of respectable urban
residential neighborhoods as people and businesses spread further into the suburbs. Many
of the plans’ elements such as park upgrades and infrastructure improvements have been
implemented, and we have benefited from decreasing crime. For this we continue to be
thankful. One notable exception to the success of our previous plans is the area of traffic
issues. Unfortunately, many of the dangerous traffic conditions noted in the original plan,
and reiterated in the 1998 update, have not yet been addressed and have worsened.
Traffic has increased and the need for solutions has become more urgent. We do not want
to allow this to continue and are hopeful that the county will more aggressively attack
traffic problems. For this reason, we are disappointed that the County abolished the
Neighborhood Traffic Calming Committee and strongly support county efforts to develop
a Neighborhood Complete Streets program.
The vision of this plan is to document the current conditions of the neighborhood and
clearly put forth the community's desire to maintain these quality conditions while
making smart, thoughtful improvements with the assistance of the county. WaycroftWoodlawn is a great place to live for many reasons, and we plan to keep it that way.
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APPENDICES
Maps
Arlington County
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WWCA
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Photos
WWCA Signage
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Woodlawn Park
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21
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Storm Photos
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Sample Survey
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25
26
27
28
29
30
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